Getting Started with Cloth Diapering

If you would have told me 5 years ago that I would be cloth diapering, I probably would have laughed at you. I mean, where exactly do you expect me to wash the dirty diapers? Certainly not in the same washing machine where I was my clothes! I don’t want to walk around with poo remnants on my pants. Oh how I’ve changed. I’ve been happily cloth diapering Logan for almost 2 years now, poo remnant free. Maybe you’ve been thinking about cloth diapering, but you just don’t know where to start. There are so many options and the information can get overwhelming. With Earth Day approaching, now may be a good time to think about switching to fluff. Here are a few tips to get you started.

1. Visit your local cloth diaper store. Many cloth diaper shops will host Cloth Diapering 101 information sessions. This is a great opportunity to get hands on with the diapers, ask questions and see them demonstrated. I learned how to fold a prefold at my local cloth diaper store and sold my husband on the idea of cloth diapers after he learned how much money we could save.

2. Find a cloth diapering buddy. Not only is it nice to have another mother to talk to about similar experiences, but there may be times when you need to troubleshoot your cloth diapers. When Logan came down with a rare yeast infection, I was glad I had a friend who had already experienced the same thing with her little one and gave me advice on how to treat my diapers. If you don’t know of anyone in your circle of friends that cloth diapers, try finding a fluff friendly pal online.

3. Do a cloth diaper trial. There are many companies, like Jillian’s Drawers, that offer cloth diaper trials for very little monetary commitment. You can try out a variety of different diapers, keep what works and trade in the rest. Keep in mind that every baby is different. What works for me, may not work for you.

4. Build your stash. You’ll be washing every 2-3 days and you’ll need enough diapers to last until your next wash cycle. You’ll also need a wet bag to store your dirty diapers in and diaper detergent. If you are pregnant, I recommend waiting to purchase the majority of your stash until you’ve had a chance to try out a few different types on your baby. To save money, look for used diapers on websites like Diaper Swappers. I purchased many of Logan’s newborn diapers from there.

5. Just try it. How do you know if you are going to like something (or not like something) unless if you try it? Aside from an extra load of laundry every 2-3 days, there’s really not a whole lot of extra work when it comes to cloth diapering. Breastfed baby poo is water soluble and those diapers can be tossed right into the washing machine without doing anything special to them. Otherwise, simply plop the poo in the toilet and throw the diaper in the wet bag. Give it a shot, you may end up loving it like I did.